Boston Life Sciences, Inc. Announces The Issuance Of A U.S. Patent Licensed To BLSI By Harvard Et Al That Covers Methods For The Diagnosis Of ADHD
Article Date: 11 Aug 2006 - 0:00am (PDT)

Boston Life Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLSI) announces that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued a patent to the President and Fellows of Harvard College, the General Hospital Corporation and Organix, Inc. that covers methods of diagnosing and monitoring attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by assessing the level of dopamine transporter (DAT) in at least one region of a patient's central nervous system. The patent is exclusively licensed to BLSI under a worldwide licensing arrangement between BLSI and Harvard University. The patent is based on the work of the inventors, Dr. Bertha Madras of Harvard, Dr. Peter Meltzer of Organix, Inc., and Dr. Alan Fischman of Massachusetts General Hospital. Both Dr. Fischman and Dr. Meltzer serve as advisors to BLSI. The patent claims a variety of diagnostic and monitoring methods for assessing ADHD utilizing labeled compounds that bind to the dopamine transporter and are measured using any imaging technique including single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET). An example of a compound covered by the patent is the Company's ALTROPANE(R) molecular imaging agent currently in Phase II clinical trials as an aid to ADHD diagnosis. The Company is currently analyzing imaging results and clinical data, both of which were obtained from patients enrolled to-date, to verify findings in prior studies and ensure that the trial design and quantification algorithms are appropriate.

In addition to methods used to objectively diagnose ADHD in adults or children, the patent covers methods that could enable physicians to determine the most effective ADHD drug treatment and/or dosage level for an individual patient, monitor the long-term progress of treatment for ADHD, and aid in identifying individuals at risk for ADHD.

Mark Hurtt, BLSI's Chief Medical Officer, comments, "The use of imaging techniques and dopamine transporter specific imaging agents has the potential to provide an objective, biologically-based diagnosis for ADHD. We are very pleased with the potential scope of this patent. We believe that the new patent enhances our position in this significant area of medical need. According to the Centers for Disease Control, between 3% and 7% of school-aged children and 2 to 4% of adults have been diagnosed with ADHD. We believe that imaging agents may assist physicians in confirming a diagnosis, resolving conflicting diagnoses, calling into question a diagnosis or non-diagnosis of ADHD, or selecting medication."

About the Patent

The new patent issued on July 25, 2006 under U.S. patent number 7,081,238 B2. The application was filed on August 17, 2001 and, under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) had 142 days added to its duration.

About ADHD

According to the Center for Disease Control, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurobehavioral disorders of childhood and can persist through adolescence and into adulthood. ADHD affects almost 4 million school-aged children and is among the fastest growing neurobehavioral disorders in adults with an estimated 2-4% of Americans affected. ADHD is now diagnosed by medical and mental health professionals with a set of behavioral criteria but there is currently no objective biological test.

About BLSI

Boston Life Sciences, Inc. (BLSI) is engaged in the research and clinical development of diagnostic and therapeutic products for central nervous system (CNS) disorders. ALTROPANE(R) molecular imaging agent is in Phase III clinical trials for the diagnosis of Parkinsonian Syndrome (PS) and in Phase II clinical trials for the diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The Company's research and pre-clinical CNS programs include INOSINE for the treatment of stroke, a DAT blocker for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and a second generation technetium-based molecular imaging agent for PS and ADHD. BLSI's current research collaborations include Harvard Medical School and Children's Hospital Boston.

Safe Harbor

The foregoing release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward- looking statements include statements regarding Boston Life Sciences' future expectations, beliefs, intentions, goals, strategies, plans or prospects regarding the future, including the Company's current and future programs relating to ADHD, licensing arrangements by the Company for certain intellectual property, and the scope of, the methods covered by, uses and potential uses of such intellectual property. Forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "could increase the likelihood," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "is planned," "may," "should," "will," "will enable," "would be expected," "look forward," "may provide," "would" or similar terms, variations of such terms or the negative of those terms. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors including those risks, uncertainties and factors referred to in the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2006 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the section "Risk Factors," as well as other documents that may be filed by Boston Life Sciences from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As a result of such risks, uncertainties and factors, the Company's actual results may differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements discussed in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein. Boston Life Sciences is providing the information in this press release as of this date and assumes no obligations to update the information in this press release.

I'm surprised that nobody had any comments and/or more information about these tests!

This seemed like a very big deal to me!

justhope

09-09-06, 01:10 AM

This is interesting Seek...and if I had the money...I would be on a plane..and be the first in line to test it out...and see if my original DX and Meds lined up with their info...hell I have a whole family and another generation they can test away on! ....

justhope

09-09-06, 01:12 AM

BTW I have bookmarked the site you have for review..when I am not sucking on suds....and want to review some of the new stuff out there....it's nice to have someone who likes to find the stuff I don't have the attention span to look for!

Scattered

09-09-06, 01:19 AM

Seek, Check out this thread. It has a bit of discussion on the topic and the same article is reference about half way through the thread.

http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29583

Scattered

sehrita

09-09-06, 01:28 AM

According to the Center for Disease Control, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurobehavioral disorders of childhood and can persist through adolescence and into adulthood. ADHD affects almost 4 million school-aged children and is among the fastest growing neurobehavioral disorders in adults with an estimated 2-4% of Americans affected. ADHD is now diagnosed by medical and mental health professionals with a set of behavioral criteria but there is currently no objective biological test.
It would be great to be able to do biological tests on people rather than relying purely on behavior. I have heard of many people misdiagnosed with ADD because they displayed the behavior when in actuality they were bipolar.

Scattered

09-09-06, 01:40 AM

I wonder if that would really seperate out the bipolar folks, since especially in childhood the comorbidity with ADD and bipolar is over 50 percent. Maybe something on the scan would show bipolar too. Good post.

Scattered

sehrita

09-09-06, 01:46 AM

I wonder if that would really seperate out the bipolar folks, since especially in childhood the comorbidity with ADD and bipolar is over 50 percent. Maybe something on the scan would show bipolar too. Good post.

Scattered
Thank you.

I wish I could be a fly on the wall and see what results they find.

*~ žEEK ~*

09-09-06, 06:12 AM

Seek, Check out this thread. It has a bit of discussion on the topic and the same article is reference about half way through the thread.

http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29583

ScatteredThanks Scattered! :)

I saw that you had some reservations about the radioactive isotope that they use!

While it's true that there is no such thing as safe radiation, I believe the isotope <SUP>99m</SUP>Tc Trodat-1 (Technetium 99-Trodat-1) that they use (when compared to other nuclear medicine imaging agents) involves very little radioactivity, and has only a six-hour physical half-life. Meaning the radioactive isotope loses 1/2 it's radioactivity every 6 hours. Most of the major radioactivity is excreted thru the hepatobiliary system and you later defecate/urinate whatever radioactivity is remaining.

I'm not sure of the exact dose in Rads/Rems that's received since I don't work in Nuc Med. If I remember I'll ask one of the Nuclear Medicine Techs when I go back to work, but I don't think it's a substantial amount when compared to something like a CAT scan.

Scattered

09-09-06, 05:48 PM

I'm a bit of a scaridy cat -- I almost cried when the x-ray tech messed up my first series of mammograms and had to redo them all. My mom died of cancer at 54 and I'm a nervous nelly by nature anyway. If I thought it were safe enough, I'd love to have a peek inside my brain.

Scattered

*~ žEEK ~*

09-10-06, 09:13 AM

I'm a bit of a scaridy cat -- I almost cried when the x-ray tech messed up my first series of mammograms and had to redo them all. My mom died of cancer at 54 and I'm a nervous nelly by nature anyway. If I thought it were safe enough, I'd love to have a peek inside my brain.

ScatteredIt would be worth it to me just to find out which chemicals are out of whack so they could then plan a medication regime that would work "best" for my ADD rather than having to experiment all the time with different and/or new medications.

I'm really sick and tired of dealing with all the weird side-effects from trying different meds for my ADD. Having to take/try different medications often only turns us into medical guinea pigs. I would be more than willing to get a few doses of radiation if it meant no more medication experimentation! From what I have read lately I'll bet you would agree with that! LOL :D

Peace! :)

Proscrire

09-10-06, 09:32 PM

Yeah a patent. So there will be a test in the future....we just won't be able to afford it. 8/

Scattered

09-15-06, 04:15 PM

Yeah affording it could definately present a problem! If it is covered by insurance however I might have to change my answer. My husband told me yesterday that the new PET machines are much much faster and expose you to much less radiation. I really would love to know for sure what my brain is up too (assuming a machine could actually determine that!:p ).

Scattered

*~ žEEK ~*

09-16-06, 12:21 PM

Yeah affording it could definitely present a problem! If it is covered by insurance however I might have to change my answer. Yeah, I bet it's expensive! $2000-$3000 would be my guess! :eek: